MLB News

Verlander Leads #VoteAvila Campaign

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By Ryan Wagner, @rwags614

Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander has been arguably the best pitcher in the American League this season. As a matter of fact, if I were managing the AL All-Star team, he'd be my starter. Verlander also knows what all the great ones know: a pitcher doesn't get very far without the guy behind the plate.

With that in mind, Verlander has spearheaded an effort to get his battery mate, Alex Avila , into the All-Star Game in Phoenix. The campaign has been mostly twitter-based, with Verlander helping to get the hashtag #voteavila to make the rounds.

Avila is fighting an uphill battle to get the start in the Midsummer Classic, as he still trails Yankees backstop Russell Martin by 400,000 votes with just a week left in voting. That deficit was 600,000 as recently as the previous update, so the gap may be narrowing somewhat.

Good for Verlander. It's nice to see a guy supporting his teammates, and especially nice to see a pitcher who is having a hell of a season show some love for his catcher. Avila's numbers certainly put him near the top of the league at his position, but forgive me if I'm not rooting for him. If he makes the team, it likely means that Matt Wieters was left off, and I have to pull for my hometown guy.

Either way, pretty cool story.

Detroit Tigers ace Justin Verlander has been arguably the best pitcher in the American League this season. As a matter of fact, if I were managing the AL All-Star team, he'd be my starter. Verlander also knows what all the great ones know: a pitcher doesn't get very far without the guy behind the plate.

With that in mind, Verlander has spearheaded an effort to get his battery mate, Alex Avila , into the All-Star Game in Phoenix. The campaign has been mostly twitter-based, with Verlander helping to get the hashtag #voteavila to make the rounds.

Avila is fighting an uphill battle to get the start in the Midsummer Classic, as he still trails Yankees backstop Russell Martin by 400,000 votes with just a week left in voting. That deficit was 600,000 as recently as the previous update, so the gap may be narrowing somewhat.

Good for Verlander. It's nice to see a guy supporting his teammates, and especially nice to see a pitcher who is having a hell of a season show some love for his catcher. Avila's numbers certainly put him near the top of the league at his position, but forgive me if I'm not rooting for him. If he makes the team, it likely means that Matt Wieters was left off, and I have to pull for my hometown guy.